Stacking machine for rubber or the like sheet material

ABSTRACT

The invention contemplates mechanism for automatically so converting a continuous delivery of pliant sheet material into a horizontally reciprocating motion that a uniformly wide vertical stack of sheet product is developed, as a pallet load of horizontal layers, for shipment, storage or further processing. In the form described, the reciprocating mechanism includes a cut-off device so that discrete sheets are developed to precise length, once for each half of the reciprocation cycle, and so that all cut sheets or layers are stacked in vertical register, regardless of the developed height of the stack.

United States Patent [1 1 Occhetti [4 1 Oct. 21, 1975 STACKING MACHINE FOR RUBBER OR THE LIKE SHEET MATERIAL [75] Inventor: Louis Occhetti, Bloomfield, NJ.

[73] Assignee: Mayer Refrigerating Engineers, Inc.,

Paramus, NJ.

22 Filed: June 14, 1974 21 Appl. No.: 479,548

[52] US. Cl. 270/30; 270/39; 56/114 [51] Int. Cl. B65H 29/46 [58] Field of Search 270/30, 31, 41, 79, 39; 271/173, 273

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 952,845 3/1910 Shields 270/30 2,014,016 9/1935 Crafts 270/41 3,086,768 4/1963 Lach 270/79 3,219,338 11/1965 Kastner et al 270/31 Primary ExaminerRobert W. Michell Assistant ExaminerVincent Millin Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Hopgood, Calimafde, Kalil, Blaustein & Lieberman [57] ABSTRACT The invention contemplates mechanism for automatically so converting a continuous delivery of pliant sheet material into a horizontally reciprocating motion that a uniformly wide vertical stack of sheet product is developed, as a pallet load of horizontal layers, for shipment, storage or further processing. In the form described, the reciprocating mechanism includes a cut-off device so that discrete sheets are developed to precise length, once for each half of the reciprocation cycle, and so that all cut sheets or layers are stacked in vertical register, regardless of the developed height of the stack.

11 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures SIG/VAL P1906 ESSIAG US. Patent Oct. 21, 1975 Sheet10f4 3,913,904

U.S. Patant Oct. 21, 1975 Sheet 2 of4 3,913,904

RmJ

WSQK m US. Patent Oct. 21, 1975 Sheet 3 of4 E: i r 7 STACKING MACHINE FOR RUBBER OR THE LIKE SHEET MATERIAL This invention relates to a machine for automatically stacking, in successive horizontal layers, pliant sheet material that is delivered continuously to the machine.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved stacking machine of the character indicated.

Another object is to provide such a machine which will continuously accommodate a continuous feed of incoming sheet material, without subjecting the material to interrupted or intermittent motion in the longitudinal direction of material motion.

A further object is to provide cut-off mechanism in such a machine whereby severed sheets are uniformly stacked, in vertical register.

It is also an object to achieve the above objects regardless of the developed vertical height of the stack, within the vertical stacking capacity of the machine.

Another specific object is to provide such a machine with automatic capability of reconditioning itself to accept a new supply of input material, upon exhaustion of a continuous preceding run of input material.

A still further specific object is to achieve the above objects without subjecting the input material to stretching or other undue forces.

It is a general object to achieve the above objects in a machine which is basically simple and foolproof, which has inherently high capacity to handle relatively high speeds of continuous input-material supply, and which is relatively simple to adjust for various desired elemental lengths of stacked material and for various different thicknesses of input material.

Other objects and various further features of novelty and invention will be pointed out or will occur to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In said drawings, which show, for illustrative purposes only, a preferred form of the invention:

FIG. 1 is a simplified view in elevation of a machine of the invention, shown connected to a horizontal conveyor for continuous supply of pliant sheet material;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of materialhanding means at the upper or input end of the machine;

FIG. 3 is a further enlarged view to show detail of one part of the handling mechanism of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of horizontally reciprocated meshanism in the machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view in elevation of the mechanism of FIG. 4, parts being shown in section taken substantially at the plane 55 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a diagram schematically representative of coacting parts of the machine and arranged in vertical elevation; and

FIGS. 7 and 8 are simplified diagrams applicable to an alternative employment of structure already shown, FIG. 7 being a simplified view in elevation'to show a folded stack of uncut material, and FIG. 8 being an electrical control schematic therefor.

Referring first to FIG. 1, the invention is shown in application to a machine contained within and supported by upstanding floor-based structure in the form of four legs 10, spaced at the corners of an elevator platform 11 and united at its upper end by connecting upper and lower beams 12-13 and by braces 14. Motor means 15 has sprocket-drive connection to endless lift chains 16 in each of the legs 10, relying upon synchronized interconnection as suggested at 16', for positive control of the elevation of platform 11; as shown, a pallet 17 to be loaded stands upon the base or floor and straddles the elevator 11 with sufficient vertical clearance D to enable insertion of the lift fork of a conventional forklift truck, for pallet placement and replacement. An upper frame including laterally spaced horizontal girders 18 is rigidly spaced by columns 19 on and above beams 12; girders 18 are rigidly spaced by end members 18' and establish a horizontal track for a reciprocating carriage 20, extending laterally between girders l8 and shown in FIG. 1 only by schematic phantom outline. Girders 18 extend in horizontally offset relation beyond the horizontal extent of the supporting frame means 12, so that carriage operations may serve the entire platform capacity of elevator 11, and it will be understood that except for carriage 20 and elevator 11 the entire area between girders 18 (and between the below beams 12) is open, for accommodation of stacking operations.

A continuous web of pliant sheet material, such as soft uncured rubber, is continuously supplied by endless conveyor means 21 to the indicated machine. Conveyor means 21 is shown suspended by means 22 from overhead or ceiling beams and extends horizontally for right-to-left discharge to a first hugger mechanism 23 of the stacking machine. A portion of the incoming sheet material is visible at 24, as it enters the hugger means 23, where continuous horizontal motion is converted to continuous vertically downward motion. The inlet hugger means 23 is also suspended from above, and the suspension frame includes a rigid frame means 25 interconnecting the overhead frame and the track frame l818', to assure synchronized and fully registered operation. Further material-handling means 26 has pendulous pivoted connection to the overhead frame and automatically guides incoming sheet material to the carriage 20, in accordance with carriage position, as will be described in connection with FIGS. 2 and 3.

In FIG. 2, the inlet hugger mechanism 23 is seen to comprise a vertically oriented first endless belt 28 spanning vertically spaced rolls 29-30; suspension-link means 31 is pivoted on the same fixed axis as the drive shaft to roll 29 and carries the lower roll 30 at its swingable lower end. A second endless belt 32 courses upper rolls 33-34 to establish a down-ramp for the material 24 discharged from conveyor 21; this down slope brings the material 24 to the vertically downward running course of belt 28. A lower roll 35, beneath roll 33 and at the elevation of roll 30, establishes a vertically downwardly running course of belt 32 matched to the speed and direction of the adjacent course of belt 28, as suggested by synchronized connection 36 of the respective belt drives to the drive for conveyor 21. As shown, the rolls 33-34-35 and a further idler roll 37 are all fixedly mounted with respect to frame'means 25, and the swingable mounting of belt 28 enables adaptation to thickness of incoming sheet material. Adjustable means 38 enables selection of the force with which the adjacent courses of belts 28-32 will hug the incoming material 24. It will be understood that means (not shown) are provided for selective retraction of suspension 31 from the material-hugging position shown, as for initial set-up purposes.

The pendulous material-handling means 26 accommodates vertically downwardly discharged material 24 issuing continuously from the inlet hugger 23. Means 26 comprises adjacent pinch rolls 40-41 lightly squeezed by resilient means 42 in their application to both sides of the full width of material 24. As shown, the pinch-roll suspension is carried by end-frame plates 43 keyed at 44 to a mounting shaft 45, the ends of which project for support in bearings (not shown) in frame 25; one end of shaft 45 carries a sprocket wheel 46 (FIG. 2) by which it derives rotary reciprocating drive from a chain connection 47 to a drive-sprocket wheel 48, and the latter is secured to its frame-mounted pivot shaft 49. A telescoping link 50 has pivoted connection at its lower end to part of the horizontally reciprocating carriage 20, and at its upper end link 50 has keyed connection to shaft 49; thus, movement of carriage 20 to the right or left of its centered position (FIG. 2) will cause shaft 49 to partially rotate as it tracks the instantaneous orientation of the telescoping link 50, and this partial rotation correspondingly alters the pendulous orientation of the pinch-roll suspension frame 43 about its pivot axis 45, as suggested by phantom outlines 26a and 26b for the extreme outer oriented positions of means 26 in FIG. 2.

Corresponding ends of the pinch rolls 40-41 have pivoted support at the lower end of one of two bell cranks 51-52, and the latter are pivotally mounted at 53-54 to the adjacent end-frame plate 43. Remaining arms of bell cranks 51-52 are horizontally slotted and overlap, for pinned connection at 55 to single-acting roll-retraction actuating means 56; actuation by means 56 involves downward thrust of pin 55 and thus a separating displacement of rolls 40-41, against the tension of resilient means 42. As indicated in FIG. 2, automatic control means 57 responds to detected run-out of material 24 to actuate means 56 and to thus retract rolls 40-41 from their material-squeezing position. To complete the description of the pinch-roll assembly, funnelshaped elongate guide plates 58-59 span the distance between endframe plates 43; they define a wide-open convergent mouth for initial guidance of the leading edge of new material supplied from conveyor 21, via hugger 23. It will later be clear that under such initialfeed cnditions, the pinch rolls 40-41 are separated and carriage (as well as assembly 26) is in its centered position, with the mouth of guide means 58-59 directly beneath the vertical discharge alignment of hugger 23.

The carriage 20 will be described in connection with the generally plan and side-elevation aspects of FIGS. 4 and 5, respectively. Basically, the carriage frame is open-rectangular, being defined by opposed pairs of channels 61-62, 63-64 and having plural sets of flanged wheels 65 to ride wear plates on lower flanges 0f the track girders 18. An upper hugger 66 establishes precise vertical alignment of material 24, received from the pinch rolls 40-41 and delivered to horizontally acting cut-off means 67, and a lower hugger 68 establishes precise vertical alignment of successively severed sheets for stacking, as well as delivery of said sheets in such synchronism with the traverse of carriage 20 as to assure registry of the. stacked sheets. Operations to be synchronized with carriage position are picked off by track-mounted limit switches, to be described later in connection with FIG. 6, as these switches become actuated by a carriage trip lug 69.

As shown, the cut-off mechanism comprises a fixed or anvil shear element 70 which is removably mounted to an anvil plate 71, forming part of the rigid frame structure of carriage 20. The movable shear element or blade 72 is horizontally reciprocated between positions shown in FIG. 5 by solid outline (72) and by dashed outline (72'). Blade 72 is mounted on a slight angular bias to the transverse dimension of carriage 20, so that, for any given cut-off, shear action develops progressively across the sheet material 24, as will be understood. Blade 72 is shown mounted at the forward end of slide plate structure 73 which mounts spaced sets of blocks 74-75, clamped to guide spaced parallel rods 76-77. In turn, rods 76-77 are slidable in corresponding sets of guide bushings, such as ball bushings 7878 for rod 76, and 7979' for rod 77, these bushings being mounted by means 80-80 to parts 8181, respectively, of the carriage frame. Parellel to and between the rods 76-77, double-acting fluidpressure means 82 is mounted to the carriage frame and includes an actuating-rod connection 82 to a bracket forming part of the slide structure 73. It will later be explained how the fast out-in reciprocating cycle of means 82-83 is initiated, to produce a cut-off stroke, twice per reciprocating cycle of carriage motion.

The upper hugger 66 comprises counter-rotating first and second endless belts 85-86 which have adjacent vertically downwardly driven courses for engagement of material 24. Belt 85 runs over a large upper roll 87 and a small lower roll 88, both suitably shaft-mounted and journaled in the carriage frame. The upper roll 87 receives its drive via sprocket connection 89 to an upper shaft 90, and this drive is synchronized with that of conveyor 21, as suggested by legend in FIG. 5; shaft 90 is shown mounted by pillow-block means 91 on the respective carriage-frame members 61-62.

The other belt 86 of hugger 66 has a floating suspension, being hung from spaced plates 92. Thus, the large upper roll 93 is shaft-mounted to correspond in size and elevation with the adjacent roll 87, but the shaft 94 for roll 93 is journaled in plate 92; springs 95, preloaded by adjustment at 96, resiliently load the upper parts of hugger 66 to the material 24. The lower roll 97 for belt 86 is also floating, being mounted by shaft 98 to the lower ends of plates 99, the latter having pivotal connection to plates 92, via shaft 94; and further springs 100, preloaded by adjustment at 101, resiliently load the lower parts of hugger 66 to material 24. Tensioning means for belt 86 is indicated at an adjustable bell-crank suspension 102 for a tension roll 103, and similar means for tensioning roll 85 is merely suggested at roll 103'. Drive to belt 86 is via meshing l:l gears 104-105 on shafts 90-94.

The lower hugger 68 may be as described for hugger 66, being mounted to carriage-frame structure 106 and comprising counter-rotating endless belts 107-108 on a material (24) engaging vertical orientation aligned with that of hugger 66. As shown, belt 108 runs on upper and lower rolls 109-1 10 on carriage-fixed rotary axes, whereas the suspension belt 107 is semi-floating. The shaft 111' of the upper roll 111 for belt 107 is journaled in plate means 112 that is pivotally suspended from pillow-block means 113, and the lower roll 114 is journaled on a floating axis, at shaft 114, the same being journaled in link-plate means 115 pivotally suspended from shaft 111'. Shaft 114' has synchronized drive connection to the upper hugger, as suggested at 116, and a 1:1 reversed-direction connection 117 of adjacent lower roll shafts establishes full synchronization for the remaining hugger belt 108. Tension-spring means 118 is connected at one end to the carriage frame and at its other end to the suspension plate means 115, to assure desired loading of the floating part of the lower hugger, and a limit switch 119 monitors the position of plate means 115 for correct material thickness, as will be understood.

Operation of the machine will best be understood in reference to FIG. 6 wherein many of the described parts will be recognized. But it will help to first identify certain additional parts having to do with automating features. Thus, a frame-mounted light source 120 and aligned photcell 121 establish a beam across the path of material 24 as it issues from the lower hugger 68; detected presence of the beam will mean run-out of the supplied material 24, the photocell output being used appropriately to provide a visual display of the run-out condition, or drive shut down, as desired. If material 24 is not being supplied at high speed, detected presence of the beam will also mean that the trailing end ofa cutout piece 24 of material has been released from hugger 68; and such information may be used to incrementally and downwardly reposition the elevator 11 in accordance with the known sheet-material thickness.

In the preferred embodiment, however, I employ a central frame-mounted switch or trip means A, coacting with passage of lug means 69 to generate an elevator-reposition impulse, for each stroke of carriage 20. The output of switch A is amplified and supplied to suitable signal-processing means 122 for control of motor 15, which in turn has a reduction-gear connection 15' to the elevator sprocket drives 16-16. Also in the preferred embodiment, limit switch 119 is used as the detector of run-out of material 24, being specifi-.

cally used to automatically reposition carriage 20 to its centered position; as shown, such carriage-centering control means 123 is operative upon the carriage drive motor 124.

In the start-up of the machine, for any new supply of sheet material 24 from conveyor 21, carriage 20 will have been centered, with the vertical alignments of huggers 66-68 directly beneath the pinch-roll assembly 26, and with the latter vertically positioned; the carriage-centered location will have been determined by contact of trip lug 69 with a carriage-center limit switch A along track 18. At the same time, in view of the detected run-out of the prior supply of material 24, the pinch-roll jaws 51-52 will have been opened by control from the output of means 119, as indicated by legends in FIGS. 2 and 6. Also, the elevator 11, loaded with an empty pallet 17, will have been positioned at the top of its travel, awaiting application of the first sheet 24 to be cut from the new supply of material 24.

As the new supply of material enters the machine and feeds vertically through hugger 23, through the open jaws of the pinch-roll assembly 26, through hugger 66, through open cut-off elements at 67, and through hugger 68, the lower hugger switch 119 detects full loading of the mechanism and will be understood to initiate carriage drive in one direction, as for example, in the left cut-off limit switch B along track 18, and operation of switch B will be understood to initiate the rapid in-out reciprocation cycle of the cut-off actuator 82. At this point, the cut-off first piece (which is too short) continues to be held and fed by hugger 68 as the leading edge of the next length of material 24 continues its motion and enters hugger 68; the left-ward traverse motion of of carriage 20 also continues, until trip lug 69 intercepts and actuates a third limit switch C, for reversing-control operation upon the drive means 124.

It has been previously indicated that carriage-drive speed substantially matches material-feed speed, e.g., on conveyor 21 and by huggers 23-66-68. For assurance of this condition, motor-drive control 127 is shown governed by synchronizing means 129 having separate inputs 130-131 for respectively sensing speed of the material-feeding mechanism and for sensing the driven speed of the carriage, it being understood that control means 127 is responsive to means 129 in the sense and magnitude necessary to have carriagetraverse speed match the material-feed speed. But since the direction of carriage traverse must reverse twice per reciprocation cycle, the synchronizing means 129 is shown with an appropriate gating function, triggered to determine a synchronizing interval, once per traverse. Thus, actuation of reversing switch C will be understood to operate a reverse-drive and gateinitiating function via input 132 to synchronizing means 129, causing commencement of the left-'to-right carriage traverse and the performance of synchronizing functions to assure correct speed of such traverse; and the corresponding reversing switch D at the other end of track 18 (operative upon a further input 133 to means 129) will be understood to perform similar functions, to assure right-to-left traverse at the correct speed.

Returning to the operation of the machine upon material 24, it will be recalled that the short-cut initial piece was immediately succeeded by new material 24 entering hugger 68. Prior to lug actuation of the reversing switch C, and while carriage 20 is still in its right-toleft traverse, the short-cut piece is dropped onto pallet 17, and the operator may simply grasp and remove it if he wants to assure that all loaded pieces are of uniform size. Pallet 17 may therefore be clean at the time of actuation of reversing swich C, after which time the cut leading edge of the new material may be just contacting pallet 17. Now, since carriage-traverse speed and material-feed speed are closely matched, the new piece will neatly lie down upon the upper surface of pallet 17, without any drag force whatsoever, in the course of continued left-to-right traverse. During this left-to-right traverse, lug 69 intercepts and actuates a right cut-off limit switch E calling for another cut-off cycle by means 82 (67). Thereafter, and prior to the end of the left-to-right traverse, the freshly cut end of the piece 24' is released from hugger 68, allowing the same to drop to what will become the right-hand limit of a developed stack 135 of cut sheets 24' It will be understood that the right-hand reversing switch D is so positionedin relation to the described events that carriage-traverse reversal may occur when the vertical plane of newly fed stock 24 is at a location slightly offset beyond the horizontal end of the severed and dropped piece 24' and that the new right-to-left traverse is so coordinated that the leading edge of the new sheet 24' necessarily registers with the right-hand edge of stack 135; since carriage speed is synchronized with material-feed speed, the right-to-left traverse accomplishes application of the new piece 24 in correct, nondragging, register with the stacked previous piece or pieces. Again, cut'off determined by switch B on rightto-left traverse is operative to provide precisely the correct length, matching that of the piece 24' produced on left-to-right traverse, and with the released cut trailing end falling down into correct registry prior to initiation of the next traverse reversal.

It will also be recalled that each time the trailing end ofa cut piece 24' is released from hugger 68, the switch or trip A developes a momentary piece count response, so that the elevator position becomes indexed downwardly to the extent of one sheet thickness. This being the case, the horizontal plane for pallet-loading each newly cut sheet 24 is always at the same elevation, so that the described cycle of reversing traverse, cut-off and release can repeat to assure correct registration of all pieces in stack 135; in FIG. 1, I show adjustable means at whereby a machine operator may correct the elevator-reposition increment so as to assure a correct and substantially constant elevation for the top sheet of the stack at all times. When the desired number of pallet-loaded sheets has been counted, or the conveyor-delivered material 24 has become exhausted, the operation may be terminated, and elevator 11 lowered to permit pallet removal and replacement.

In the course of the described traverse reciprocation of carriage 20, it will be appreciated that the pinch-roll assembly 26 oscillates pendulously about the axis of its rocking shaft 45. In so doing, this assembly controls the uniform delivery of material 24 to the upper carriage hugger 66, appropriate to the instantaneous location of carriage with respect to the centered location. Such control enables the machine to handle high speeds of continuous material feed without development of jamming or folds of material at any part of the machine.

The described machine will be seen to have achieved all stated objects with basically simple and foolproof structure. Large stacks 135 are quickly and uniformly generated, without development of any dragging forces on the material; this is most important in the handling of fresh uncured material 24, such as rubber.

While the invention has been described in detail for the preferred form shown, it will be understood that modifications may be made without departure from the scope of the invention. For example, in the event that the pallet-loaded material is merely to be developed as a stack of continuous, alternately folded material, the described cut-off functions may be eliminated merely by appropriate disabling or removal of the limit switches B and E. The uniformity of traverse reversals and synchronizing of carriage-traverse speed with material-feed speed, coupled with downward indexing of elevator position, will assure perfect alignment and registry of all folds of the developed stack.

Preferably, I so devise the carriage-traverse control that long and short folded lengths are stacked in interlaced relation. For example, in FIG. 7, a first left-toright traverse is terminated by switch D controlled reversal (D-Fold), and a second traverse right-to-left is terminated by switch C controlled reversal (C- Fold), thus determining first and second extremeouter folds of the material 24. On the third and fourth traverses, switches E and B determine the right and left folds (E-Fold, B-Fold) of lesser-spaced folds of the same material, the latter folds being symmetrically offset inwardly of the outer folds determined by switches D and C. Successive traverses thereafter se quence in the same cyclic pattern of reliance on switches D and C for outer folds, and on switches E and B for inner folds, in stacked interlaced relation. The net result is a neat self-retaining stack of folded uncut material wherein adjacent folds do not cumulatively build the ends of the stack any more than the flat spans between folded ends.

A circuit for establishing the interlaced stack of FIG. 7 is schematically presented in FIG. 8, wherein motor 124 is driven for traverse directions in accordance with the F (forward) or R (reverse) state of a flip-flop 140, the C and D outer trips being shown connected to change flip-flop state upon each actuation by lug 69. Trip A is connected to a divide-by-two counter 14], which is so connected to relay means 142 as to change the state of its contacts once every two traversals of the switch A position. Thus, on the first two traverses, the contacts of relay 142 may be open, allowing trips C and D to determine the first two traverse reversals. After counting two traverses at 141, relay 142 is actuated to place the inner-fold trips B and D in controlling relation with flip-flop 140, thereby setting the stage for shorter forward and reverse traverses, before recycling with two longer forward and reverse traverses. It will be understood that, although not shown in FIG. 8, switch A is also used for the elevator-repositioning function described in connection with FIG. 6, thus assuring uniformity of respective developed long and short lengths throughout the stack of FIG. 7.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for cutting and stacking sheets of pliant elastomeric material severed from a continuously supplied web of the material, comprising a frame including horizontal guide ways and horizontally spaced upstanding means for supporting the same, a carriage guided by said ways and first drive means for reciprocating displacement of said carriage along said ways and over the space between said upstanding means, web-supply means fixedly positioned above said carriage for gravitationally downwardly delivering continuous web to said apparatus generally in the central vertical plane on either side of which said carriage is reciprocable, first and second vertically spaced web-hugger means carried by said carriage and on a common vertical websupporting alignment which passes through coincidence with said plane on each reciprocating displacement stroke of said carriage, web-cutting means on said carriage between said hugger means and synchronized with carriage displacement to sever the web into like successive sheets, second drive means for said hugger means and synchronized with said first drive means to provide substantially the same speed of web-advance as for carriage displacement, a pair of web-pinch rolls and pendulous support means therefore about a horizontal axis through said plane, said pinch rolls being positioned vertically between said web-supply means and said web-hugger means, means connected to and reacting between said carriage and a part of said frame for angularly displacing said rolls about the axis of pendulous support as a function and in the direction of the position of said upper web-hugger means along the path of carriage reciprocation, said pinch rolls and at least the upper portion of said hugger means being separable for admission of a leading edge of supplied web material, and means responsive to a run-out of web material for actuating said separable rolls and hugger means to separated relation and for terminating reciprocation of said carriage, with return to said plane of the web-supporting alignment of said web-hugger means, whereby upon run-out of supplied web material, said apparatus automatically conditions itself for clean reception of the leading edge of a subsequent supply of web material.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, and including an elevator having a horizontal platform and vertically movable in the space beneath and traversed by carriage, and means synchronized with the displacement cycle of said carriage for depressing the platform elevation as a function of web thickness.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, in which said synchronizing means includes coacting trip elements on said carriage and at a given position between the ends of carriage traverse along said ways, and means for effecting a predetermined incremental elevator drop in response to each operation of said trip elements.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, in which said webcutting means includes a first horizontal shear element fixedly mounted to said carriage and a second horizontal shear element movable for coacting with said first shear element and having a path of movement adjacent to and below said first shear element.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which said lastdefined means includes means responsive to entry of the leading edge of a new supply of web material for automatically returning said pinch rolls and hugger means to web-engaging position and for rendering said first drive means operative to resume reciprocation of said carriage.

6. Apparatus for stacking horizontal layers of pliant elastomeric sheet material from a continuously supplied web of the material, comprising a frame including horizontal guide ways and horizontally spaced upstanding means for supporting the same, a carriage guided by said ways and first drive means for reciprocating displacement of said carriage along said ways and over the space between said upstanding means, web-supply means fixedly positioned above said carriage for gravitationally downwardly delivering continuous web to said apparatus generally in the central vertical plane on either side of which said carriage is reciprocable, elevator means within said frame and including means for controlling the elevation of a stack-receiving platform beneath the path of reciprocating displacement of said carriage, web-hugger means carried by said carriage and on a common vertical web-supporting alignment which passes through coincidence with said plane on each reciprocating displacement stroke of said carriage, second drive means for said hugger means and synchronized with said first drive means to provide substantially the same speed of web-advance as for carriage displacement, said first drive means including means coacting with adjustably preselected opposite limits of carriage travel along said ways for reversing the direction of carriage displacement, a pair of webpinch rolls and pendulous support means therefore about a horizontal axis through said plane, said pinch rolls being positioned vertically between said websupply means and said web-hugger means, means connected to and reacting between said carriage and a part of said frame for angularly displacing said rolls about the axis of pendulous support as a function and in the direction of the position of said upper web-hugger means along the path of carriage reciprocation, said pinch rolls and at least the upper portion of said hugger means being separable for admission of a leading edge of supplied web material, and means responsive to a run-out of web material for actuating said separable rolls and hugger means to separated relation and for terminating reciprocation of said carriage, with return to said plane of the web-supporting alignment of said web-hugger means, whereby upon run-out of supplied web material, said apparatus automatically conditions itself for clean reception of the leading edge of a subsequent supply of web material.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6, in which said means for controlling elevation includes a synchronizing connection responsive to carriage reciprocation, the elevation-change rate being proportional to the number of carriage reciprocationstrokes and to the thickness of supplied web material.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7, in which said means for controlling elevation includes means for selectively adjusting the elevation-change rate to assure maintenance of essentially the same plane of horizontal support offered by the topmost ply of a stack of sheet material being loaded onto the platform.

9. Apparatus according to claim 6, in which said first drive means includes means determining a first and longer amplitude of the reciprocation cycle of said carriage as well as means determining a second and shorter amplitude of the carriage-reciprocation cycle, cycles of longer and shorter amplitude being interlaced.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9, in which the longer and shorter amplitude cycles are symmetrically disposed about a midpoint common to said longer and shorter amplitude cycles, whereby folded material is automatically stacked without cumulative build-up of elevation localized at the ends of the stack.

11. Apparatus according to claim 6, in which said last-defined means includes means responsive to entry of the leading edge of a new supply of web material for automatically returning said pinch rolls and hugger means to web-engaging position and for rendering said first drive means operative to resume reciprocation of said carriage. 

1. Apparatus for cutting and stacking sheets of pliant elastomeric material severed from a continuously supplied web of the material, comprising a frame including horizontal guide ways and horizontally spaced upstanding means for supporting the same, a carriage guided by said ways and first drive means for reciprocating displacement of said carriage along said ways and over the space between said upstanding means, web-supply means fixedly positioned above said carriage for gravitationally downwardly delivering continuous web to said apparatus generally in the central vertical plane on either side of which said carriage is reciprocable, first and second vertically spaced web-hugger means carried by said carriage and on a common vertical web-supporting alignment which passes through coincidence with said plane on each reciprocating displacement stroke of said carriage, web-cutting means on said carriage between said hugger means and synchronized with carriage displacement to sever the web into like successive sheets, second drive means for said hugger means and synchronized with said first drive means to provide substantially the same speed of web-advance as for carriage displacement, a pair of web-pinch rolls and pendulous support means therefore about a horizontal axis through said plane, said pinch rolls being positioned vertically between said web-supply means and said web-hugger means, means connected to and reacting between said carriage and a part of said frame for angularly displacing said rolls about the axis of pendulous support as a function and in the direction of the position of said upper web-hugger means along the path of carriage reciprocation, said pinch rolls and at least the upper portion of said hugger means being separable for admission of a leading edge of supplied web material, and means responsive to a run-out of web material for actuating said separable rolls and hugger means to separated relation and for terminating reciprocation of said carriage, with return to said plane of the web-supporting alignment of said web-hugger means, whereby upon run-out of supplied web material, said apparatus automatically conditions itself for clean reception of the leading edge of a subsequent supply of web material.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, and including an elevator having a horizontal platform and vertically movable in the space beneath and traversed by carriage, and means synchronized with the displacement cycle of said carriage for depressing the platform elevation as a function of web thickness.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2, in which said synchronizing means includes coacting trip elements on said carriage and at a given position between the ends of carriage traverse along said ways, and means for effecting a predetermined incremental elevator drop in response to each operation of said trip elements.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1, in which said web-cutting means includes a first horizontal shear element fixedly mounted to said carriage and a second horizontal shear element movable for coacting with said first shear element and having a path of movement adjacent to and below said first shear element.
 5. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which said last-defined means includes means responsive to entry of the leading edge of a new supply of web material for automatically returning said pinch rolls and hugger means to web-engaging position and for rendering said first drive means operative to resume reciprocation of said carriage.
 6. Apparatus for stacking horizontal layers of pliant elastomeric sheet material from a continuously supplied web of the material, comprising a frame including horizontal guide ways and horizontally spaced upstanding means for supporting the same, a carriage guided by said ways and first drive means for reciprocating displacement of said carriage along said ways and over the space between said upstanding means, web-supply means fixedly positioned above said carriage for gravitationally downwardly delivering continuOus web to said apparatus generally in the central vertical plane on either side of which said carriage is reciprocable, elevator means within said frame and including means for controlling the elevation of a stackreceiving platform beneath the path of reciprocating displacement of said carriage, web-hugger means carried by said carriage and on a common vertical web-supporting alignment which passes through coincidence with said plane on each reciprocating displacement stroke of said carriage, second drive means for said hugger means and synchronized with said first drive means to provide substantially the same speed of web-advance as for carriage displacement, said first drive means including means coacting with adjustably preselected opposite limits of carriage travel along said ways for reversing the direction of carriage displacement, a pair of web-pinch rolls and pendulous support means therefore about a horizontal axis through said plane, said pinch rolls being positioned vertically between said web-supply means and said web-hugger means, means connected to and reacting between said carriage and a part of said frame for angularly displacing said rolls about the axis of pendulous support as a function and in the direction of the position of said upper webhugger means along the path of carriage reciprocation, said pinch rolls and at least the upper portion of said hugger means being separable for admission of a leading edge of supplied web material, and means responsive to a run-out of web material for actuating said separable rolls and hugger means to separated relation and for terminating reciprocation of said carriage, with return to said plane of the web-supporting alignment of said webhugger means, whereby upon run-out of supplied web material, said apparatus automatically conditions itself for clean reception of the leading edge of a subsequent supply of web material.
 7. Apparatus according to claim 6, in which said means for controlling elevation includes a synchronizing connection responsive to carriage reciprocation, the elevation-change rate being proportional to the number of carriage reciprocation strokes and to the thickness of supplied web material.
 8. Apparatus according to claim 7, in which said means for controlling elevation includes means for selectively adjusting the elevation-change rate to assure maintenance of essentially the same plane of horizontal support offered by the topmost ply of a stack of sheet material being loaded onto the platform.
 9. Apparatus according to claim 6, in which said first drive means includes means determining a first and longer amplitude of the reciprocation cycle of said carriage as well as means determining a second and shorter amplitude of the carriage-reciprocation cycle, cycles of longer and shorter amplitude being interlaced.
 10. Apparatus according to claim 9, in which the longer and shorter amplitude cycles are symmetrically disposed about a midpoint common to said longer and shorter amplitude cycles, whereby folded material is automatically stacked without cumulative build-up of elevation localized at the ends of the stack.
 11. Apparatus according to claim 6, in which said last-defined means includes means responsive to entry of the leading edge of a new supply of web material for automatically returning said pinch rolls and hugger means to web-engaging position and for rendering said first drive means operative to resume reciprocation of said carriage. 